A Look At Tonight's Game

Marty Noble at Mets.com, writes about tonight's opening series game at San Francisco:

Perez has retired Bonds six times, walked him once and allowed him one single. And Maine never has faced him. Glavine knows him well, though. He has faced Bonds 97 times, and those confrontations have produced: 80 at-bats, 15 walks, 26 hits, three home runs, two triples, six doubles, 10 strikeouts and a .325 average for Bonds.

Alou came to know Bonds during his brief tenure with the Pirates in the early nineties and enjoyed playing with him with the Giants the last two years. "I was kind of disappointed that he didn't do it while I was there."

THE PITCHERS

LHP Oliver Perez (3-2, 3.41 ERA)

Perez's numbers against the Giants aren't encouraging for the Mets -- an 0-3 record and 6.60 ERA in six starts and merely 30 innings.

LHP Barry Zito (2-3, 3.52 ERA)

Zito never has faced the Mets, but he has been quite effective against Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, Shawn Green and Damion Easley. Their composite average in 63 at-bats against him is .174.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Rich Aurilia has hit three home runs in 25 career at-bats against Perez.